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About Texas Family Initiative

TFI is a leading child welfare agency providing experience, compassion, quality services, and care. Our strength as an organization lies in the fact that we do what is best for children and families. TFI continues to create new foster parent resources and develop innovative solutions as we work to meet the needs of families and children.

We provide various services to the community, including foster and kinship care, adoption, counseling support and education, prevention services, TIPS-MAPP training, visitation and exchange centers, and numerous other child welfare services.

Mission

Devoted to the Strength of Family

Vision

To Be Nationally Recognized for Excellence in Service, Education and Advocacy to Strengthen Families.

Values

  • Integrity – We do the right thing. We conduct our business with transparency, honesty and the highest standards of professional behavior and ethics.
  • Leadership – We have confidence that everyone can make a difference today and contribute to where we go in the future. 
  • Child Safety – We believe every child should have a childhood where they are nurtured body, mind and soul; are safe, protected and loved; and have hopes, dreams and opportunities.
  • Family – We honor family as each person defines it. 
  • Acceptance – We acknowledge and honor the fundamental value and dignity of all individuals. We pledge ourselves to creating and maintaining an environment that respects diverse traditions, faiths, cultures and experience.
  • Quality – We commit to excellence through evidenced-based practices and innovative service delivery.

The Family Initiative, Inc. is the parent company providing services to children and families across the U.S. We provide services through our affiliates: 

  • TFI Family Services in Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri
  • TFI Family Connections in Oklahoma 
  • Texas Family Initiative in Texas
  • Pathway Family Services in Kansas and Texas 
  • Mainstream Nonprofit Solutions is an affiliate supporting the TFI Family of Companies and other nonprofits
  • Foster Care Technologies is an affiliate providing child welfare technology solutions to different organizations

TFI is a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a voluntary board of directors providing effective leadership, support and guidance.

Our History

Founded in 1965 as a rural day camp for youth, TFI has grown to become a multi-state child welfare organization providing a broad array of services to children and families.

1965

TFI founded as a rural day camp for youth, ran by Maxine Johnson and her family in Admire, Kansas.

1987

TFI moved from our rural location to Emporia, Kansas. Shortly after, we opened an emergency shelter in Emporia for boys and girls.

1990

In 1990, TFI secured our first child placing agency (CPA) in Kansas. Then later in 1996 TFI became a subcontractor for the State of Kansas for foster care services.

1998-1999

In 1998, TFI opened its first Visitation Exchange Center (VEC) in Lawrence, KS. In 1999, TFI achieved accreditation through the National Council on Accreditation (COA).

2000

TFI contracted with the State of Kansas to provide foster care & reintegration services in Region 1. Additionally, TFI secured a CPA license in Missouri.

2003

Pathway Family Services was founded.

2005

TFI began providing Family Preservation services in the State of Kansas in Region 3.

2007-2008

In 2007, TFI opened Teens Reaching Adult Independent Living (TRAIL) facilities in Topeka and Wichita. TFI opened a TRAIL facility in Kansas City in 2008.

2009

TFI contracted with the State of Kansas to provide foster care, reintegration and adoption services in Region 1 & 3. TFI also secured the COA Hague Accreditation for international adoptions.

2010

Pathway Family Services Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) opened in Topeka, KS.

2011

Michael Patrick became the third CEO in TFI history. The same year, TFI opened an office in Kearney, NE. Additionally, TFI opened up a VEC in Wichita, KS.

2012

TFI expanded family foster care services in 2012 to Nebraska and Oklahoma. Additionally, PFS became COA accredited.

2013-2014

TFI opened a VEC in Topeka, KS. TFI expanded family foster care services to Texas. TFI acquired Nonprofit Solutions, Inc.

2018

In Texas, 2INgage, a program of TFI, contracted with Texas DFPS to provide Stage I of community-based care services in Region 2. Nonprofit Solutions changed their name to Mainstream Nonprofit Solutions, Inc.

2019

TFI began providing Case Management services in Areas 4 and 8 in Kansas. TFI also started the Grow Nurturing Families program, funded by the FFPSA grant.

2020

TFI began providing Family Preservation services in western Kansas. 2INgage began providing Stage II Case Management services for children and families in Texas.

2021

TFI opened the PFS Health & Wellness Center in Topeka, KS.

2022

Foster Care Technologies moved under the TFI Family of Companies.

2023

In Texas, EMPOWER, under TFI, partnered with Texas DFPS for Stage 1 Community-Based Care in Metroplex East. Also, Pathway Family Services launched a new facility, Blue Skies, in Wichita Falls, TX.

Accreditations

Council on Accreditation.

TFI is accredited in:

Service Standards

  • Family Foster Care and Kinship
  • Family Preservation and Stability
  • Mental Health and/or Substance Use
  • Residential Treatment Services
  • Supervised Visitation and Exchange
  • Youth Independent Living Services

Service Delivery Administration

  • Administrative and Service Environment
  • Behavior Support and Management
  • Client Rights
  • Program Administration
  • Training and Supervision

Administration Management

  • Financial Management
  • Governance
  • Human Resources
  • Performance and Quality Improvement
  • Risk Prevention and Management

Licenses

TFI is a licensed child placing agency in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas

State of Kansas Department of Health and Environment, License 766

State of Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, License CPA038

State of Oklahoma Department of Human Services, License K860000352

State of Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, License 1533903-9631

Quality Improvement

Our mission is about strengthening families. To achieve this, we do all we can to continuously improve the quality of all our services throughout TFI.

Quality improvement allows TFI to facilitate internal reviews of program and administrative departments. These reviews help us design training and education programs for staff and retain a focus on program outcomes through a continuous quality improvement process. Management of reviews, reporting of audits, and program improvement plans help TFI and its companies build upon success and identify needs early.

Within TFI quality improvement, we monitor child placing licenses for all companies, coordinate with external agencies on compliance, and provide a structure for quality improvement activities in programs. Some pieces inside the quality improvement program include organizing and assembling provider meetings with stakeholders, managing the client satisfaction survey process, discussing contract issues, outcomes and quality of services and providing reports on agency compliance.

In addition, quality improvement coordinates regulatory agency audits from Council on Accreditation, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Department of Children and Family, Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services and other child welfare community-based service providers.

TFI strives to protect the privacy and safety of all families with which we work. To aid in this, we use stock photos to represent children and family clients. Outside of select stories provided with consent of past clients, stories shared are representative of the work we do and the impact of that work; but names, specific details and other identifying aspects of such client stories are changed to protect privacy and safety.

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